Fuel Scarcity: Petrol Sells N2,500 a gallon in Black market

Following the refusal by oil marketers to import fuel into Nigeria, Fuel scarcity in Nigeria has gone from bad to worse. Many petrol stations in most parts of Lagos were under lock earlier today. Petrol Stations that were opened such as Petrocam, Total and FAWA forced long queues on motorists, who had no choice but to patiently wait and buy at a ridiculously inflated price and even tip the attendants to get attention.

Petrol station owners were cashing in on the situation on ground by selling petrol for N200, N150 and as high as N300 per litre in some areas of Lagos state. No doubt, the Black market retailers are also enjoying the situation, as a gallon of petrol is being sold between 2000 and 2500! Petrol price is officially N85.

With the long and frightening queues at the few petrol stations opened, consumers were ready to buy fuel at any amount available to them, even if these prices were ridiculous and outright robbery.

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An outraged consumer lamented to Xclusive Magazine about the fuel scarcity after having waited for hours in an endless queue in Agege: “This is really ridiculous. How can we celebrate May Day without electricity and petrol? I cannot enjoy the day with my family because there is no power. The federal government should settle with the oil marketers before things go out of hand.”

Another aggrieved buyer blamed the fuel scarcity on the federal government and outgoing President, stating that, it was a devious attempt to frustrate the incoming government. “The federal government is doing this on purpose. They should have paid the oil marketers before now. They left our refineries in tatters and we are left at the mercy of these so-called marketers.”